January 20, 2007, Saturday We rose early to catch our train to Soukothai. It was scheduled to leave at 8:30 a.m. but it was an hour ahalf late before we left. The time went quickly, I actually found a place to get a boxed lunch and a latte, little did I realize our ticket included breakfast and lunch. At 9:00 a.m. and at 6:00 p.m. the national anthem plays over speakers, everyone stops, including cars, for 1 minute the whole country stops to stand in silence in honor of the king. To move or continue doing a task would show disrespect to the King. I quite like the ritual of pausing for moment with all the other people around me. I love travelling on the trains here; initially everyone is busy, pushing their way into the
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